HOBI Weekly Blog Recap (9/18-9/21)
As much as consumers love brand-new electronics, there is one thing they collectively do not, the prices, which only seem to be increasing. As a result, more consumers have begun reusing old devices and even purchasing used devices. Unfortunately, this also means more repairs. By now, it’s no secret that electronics coincidentally start to go downhill after just a few years of use. Unfortunately, some brands degrade quicker than others, and manufacturers often make it extremely difficult to repair devices or even to seek help from third-party repair shops.
The Right to Repair Movement is an organization that advocates for consumers’ right to repair their own devices by taking legal action to push manufacturers to expand restrictive repair policies. Repair legislation has been introduced in many states, but just two have passed repair laws. However, despite hesitance in some states, experts predict that the right to repair will become more prevalent in 2023.
New York was the first state to turn a right-to-repair bill into law, and though it received many alterations to pass, those in the industry believe other states will follow suit. According to the executive director of the Repair Association, Gay Gordon-Byrne, the New York law is “good, but not as good as it should have been.”
Senate Bill 4104, known as the Digital Fair Repair Act passed in NY, requires OEMs to make diagnostic and repair information for digital electronic parts and equipment available to independent repair providers and consumers but also carries a broad range of exemptions. In addition, the bill will only apply to devices manufactured after July 1, 2023.
Gordon-Byrne added, “The New York law that was signed didn’t get as far as it was supposed to. It’s pretty much limited to consumer electronics and not a broad scope at that, so we have a lot of work to do.”
Having the right to repair your device may sound like freedom, but many consumers are unaware of the danger that can occur if a device is not appropriately handled. For example, electronics today are made with Lithium-Ion batteries known to combust when damaged. The right-to-repair movement encourages consumers to repair their own devices to save money, but one wrong repair could end in a house fire.
While the right to repair can be beneficial for third-party repair shops, it is best to leave repairs to professionals trained to handle battery removal and other steps in the repair process. Lithium battery fires are chemical fires that are more difficult to extinguish than typical fires and can even re-ignite.
Manufacturer repairs can be costly, but end-of-life facilities like HOBI offer repair and remarketing services. Partnering with an ITAD enterprise for retired office IT hardware can save money and maximize ROI.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.
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